So, I've replayed the game about two times these past few days and decided to necromance this thread, I have a question. Do you think Cheryl ever got to graduate? I mean, the echoes mention prom night, but never graduation. And I'm not sure at what time the stabbing at the mall happened, if I recall correctly it is never made clear. But, it just came to my mind that if it happened while she was at school (after Prom Night, let's say) and she ended up at prison and going to therapies, what if she never got to finish? I'm sorry if that comes off as too speculative, by the way.

Also, I couldn't find any Day Trippers thread, so I'm gonna add this here. It was pretty interesting how in the echo (or, since it varies, one of them) you find in the infamous place where Cheryl and Harry take the picture, Cheryl asks Harry why the Knight had to kill the dragon, and he says to her that it's because he had to save the princess, and she replies ''But what if she was a bad princess?'', and he brushes it off. Obviously the princess is supposed to be her, and he is the Knight (''He wasn't your knight in shining armor'' - Kaufmann), but could the dragon symbolize anything as well?

It could symbolize pretty much any trial in her life (or nothing at all. Both just my views, though.). A simple answer, but my memory is horrible as it is and it has been awhile since i'v beaten the game.

_________________WARNING: Some Parts of Reality May Seem Violent or Cruel.

So, I had another question, and I wasn't sure if this was the topic to post it in...what do you think is the meaning behind the Clear Picture shop voice message? I've heard two variations so far, and they both refer to someone in the shop deleting a couple's wedding video. I thought it must've been a technical mistake, but judging by the tone of the caller, it was pretty personal and purposefully done. What do you think?

Again, my memory is horrible so I can't exactly remember what the dialogue was for the messages, but as of now the only answer I can think of and how I viewed it was that it is just another thing Cheryl done. She may feel disdain, or did at the time, for marriage and seeing others happy in one due to her parents marriage falling apart. Marriage does come up a few times throughout the game, but I think the general gist of it is that Cheryl is either conflicted about marriage or outright disagrees with it.

Obviously I would have to take another look at the game myself to be 100% on anything , though (if I didn't make that clear enough. lol).

_________________WARNING: Some Parts of Reality May Seem Violent or Cruel.

I had a couple theories about what that may have to do with, but one is highly speculative.

The speculative one sees Cheryl as having worked at the shop once upon a time. She may have deleted the footage herself out of hurt because of how her parent's marriage went.

The other is about her view of marriage in general, and that she is talking with Dr. K at that point about how she doesn't see marriage as a "clear picture." Considering marriage isn't viewed very happily while in that shop, it makes sense that Cheryl may be talking about how she wants to erase her own memory of her parents' marriage.

Well, I guess both are speculative but that's fine. There's a lot in this game like that. And both points above could coexist.

I had a couple theories about what that may have to do with, but one is highly speculative.

The speculative one sees Cheryl as having worked at the shop once upon a time. She may have deleted the footage herself out of hurt because of how her parent's marriage went.

The other is about her view of marriage in general, and that she is talking with Dr. K at that point about how she doesn't see marriage as a "clear picture." Considering marriage isn't viewed very happily while in that shop, it makes sense that Cheryl may be talking about how she wants to erase her own memory of her parents' marriage.

Well, I guess both are speculative but that's fine. There's a lot in this game like that. And both points above could coexist.

Both are plausible theories, but I definitely prefer the second one, for some reason. It gives it a more symbolical meaning and delves deeper into the complexity of the game itself.

The Clear Picture message obviously depicts Cheryl's fragility with the subject of marriage. The world we step into is a world mostly constructed from things she didn't have: a loving father, a joyful wife withdrawing her wedding tape, happy families watching TV, laughing and having fun and happy daughters making prank calls as if to tease Cheryl about all she never had. All of it adds up to her constant effort to insert her father into her personal life narrative.

Therefore, it's safe to conclude that most of the echoes, the messages and mementos are the image of some of Cheryl's general thoughts and feelings. We know what that tape scenario was about: "Why do they get to be happy while I'm stuck in this shitload life?"

But what was the basis of the construction? That's what's tricky and requires a more concete proof. Was it she that worked there or was it her mother since it is about making a happy wife's life more miserable?

Judging from the bit of the tape that we're able to see in the staff room, my guess would be that Cheryl might have seen the video or the happy woman coming to withdraw the tape while visiting the store, and so fantasized about the tape getting deleted and about the woman's trembling voice when she found out about her happiest memory being shattered into pieces (just like Cheryl's memories as well).